How and why did the US expand? Who got in the way? When did it stop? Did it stop? Let's discuss all of the people, events and issues related to American territorial growth.
*Acquired Oregon and Texas - President Polk agreed with Britain on the 49th parallel line for occupation of Oregon
*Nicholas P. Trist signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848 - the treaty confirmed the American title to Texas and California
*Louisiana Purchase - Spain controlled Louisiana, but under the Treaty of San Ildefonso, it came under French control. Americans did not want to lose their use of New Orleans, which they used to store goods for export. New Orleans also controlled the Mississippi River, which the Americans needed for trade with western territories. Thomas Jefferson sent James Monroe and Robert R. Livingston to Paris to purchase New Orleans and the parts of Louisiana east of the Mississippi. The entire region of Louisiana was offered for $15 million, so Livingston couldnt pass up an offer like that, and the treaty was signed on May 2, 1803. The Louisiana territory stretched from the Gulf of Mexico in the south to Ruperts Land in the north, and from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. This territory would double the size of the U.S. at that time.
Why
*Manifest Destiny - believed that God had destined the American people to spread west; spread their democratic ways *Religious freedom *Gold Rush - gold was discovered on the American River near Sutters Mill, California, early in 1848 *New job opportunities
Events *Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo*Annexation of Texas - Mexico was not willing to give Texas up, and it led to the Mexican-American War - ended with the Mexican Cession, which added California and New Mexico territories to the U.S.*The Wilmot Proviso was introduced, but was never passed by Congress, by David Wilmot - it was to prevent slavery from being introduced in any territory acquired from Mexico Issues
*Slavery - Texas, Oregon, and California - would these new territories become slave states?; Oregon & California - Free; Texas - Slave *Native Americans had to become civilized according to Americans - they needed to be like whites or be pushed aside by them
When/did it stop?
After the United States expanded west, they were eager for more territory, which led to their imperialism stage. (below) U.S. expansion hasnt really stopped since they continue to influence other nations with ideas of independence. Micronesia and the Marshall Islands both acquired independence in 1896 and Palau in 1994 by Compacts of Free Association. This compact stats that these three areas have entered into association with the United States. The United States also occupied these places during WWII. Even today, the United States is trying to influence foreign countries (Iraq and Afghanistan for example) with democracy.
How the United States acquired foreign territories:In June 1897, McKinley agreed to a treaty of annexation with representatives of the Republic of Hawaii. On July 6, 1898, the Senate formally annexed Hawaii as a U.S. territory. In 1900 Hawaii was allowed self-governance. The Admission Act was passed by Congress in March 1959, and President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law. It established the state of Hawaii, which became the 50th state of the Union. It also extended all the rights of American citizens to a territory that had a non-white majority.
Americans wanted to expand their territory outside of the United States. The United States wanted Spain to resolve the rebellion in Cuba, however, Spain was unable to do so. The American battleship Maine exploded and American journalists made it seem as if it were Spains fault. This caused tension between the two regions to rise, and led to the Spanish-American War. The first battle was in a sea near the Philippines on May 1, 1898. Commodore George Dewey, who commanded the United States Pacific fleet, defeated the Spanish squadron, under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón at the Battle of Manila Bay. The first battle in Cuba was on June 10, 1898 at Guantánamo Bay. Assistant Naval Constructor Richmond Pearson Hobson was ordered by Admiral Sampson to sink the Merrimac in the harbor. This did not work, however, and Hobson was captured. In Puerto Rico on July 25, 1898, General Nelson A. Miles, with 3,300 soldiers, landed at Guánica and took over the island with little resistance. The Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10, 1898, and was ratified by the U.S. Senate on February 6, 1899. It granted the United States almost all of Spains colonies, including the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Cuba was given independence, however, the United States put different kinds of restriction on the new government, which included that they couldnt form alliances with other countries.
Expansion was a crazy issue that caused many fights among people. When the people in the US wanted to move west (part of manifest destiny) no one was thinking of the common good of the Native Americans. It was their land to begin with but the US was determined to take it over. When other people wanted to expand and moce into California because of the California Gold Rush, it caused many attacks against Native Americans and their land. Expansion always came with a fight and a price to pay.
ahh, I didn't mean for it to go space crazy or underline like that lol
Yeah, I'm struggling with this site a bit, too (note the religion section). No offense Mr. E.
ok Does imperialism have to do with expansionism / are they kind of the same, or completely different? After reading Tanya's "Why" section, the two seem somewhat similar. Perhaps less direct benefits, though. Not to say imperialism is noble at all, ha.
Alex Z. wrote: ok Does imperialism have to do with expansionism / are they kind of the same, or completely different? After reading Tanya's "Why" section, the two seem somewhat similar. Perhaps less direct benefits, though. Not to say imperialism is noble at all, ha.
Well, they're kind of the same, I think, since the United States wanted to expand, and then looked toward foreign places to do so. After expanding west, the U.S. wanted to influence foreign areas, such as the Philippines, Cuba, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. When the U.S. expanded west, they were looking to democratize (if that's a word?) that part of America as well. When the U.S. went after foreign areas, they wanted to influence them with the governmental idea of the U.S. as well. So since expanding includes influencing the newly acquired area, and imperialism is ruling/influencing another area, I am guessing they're kinda the same. Imperialism would mean that a country is expanding it's territory. Okay, hopefully this makes sense.
Expansion has been a hugeeee reason for conflict in own country, such as in territorial/boundry arguments with France during the US's aquisition of the Louisana Purchase, or the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, declared as remaining guiding policy for the admission of all future states into the Union.
Why did we stop trying to expand America? Was it because there was no more land left or was it because we were scared of other powerful countries and didn't want to take their land?
Around the time of the Mexican War, James Polk won the 1844 presidential election by advocating a belligerent stand against Britain on the Oregon Question, in dealing with territory issues and expansionism. Once in office he declared that "the people of this continent alone have the right to decide their own destiny." About the same time the term Manifest Destiny came into vogue to describe what was regarded as a God-given right to expand U.S. territory. The term was applied particularly to the Oregon dispute, but it had relevance also to California, where American settlers warned of British intrigues to take control, and to Texas.
kels
